The aim of this page is to give you some ideas about how to setup a Terrarium for keeping carnivorous plants. Although most carnivorous plants require more attention than 'normal' plants, keeping them in a suitable environment is half the battle - so time spent setting up an appropriate home for them is time well spent!

What is a Terrarium?

Put simply, a Terrarium is a tank or container (usually made from glass or plastic) used to keep plants or certain animals; such as small reptiles, spiders, insects and so on. Depending on the plants or animals being kept in the Terrarium, it may be necessary to control various aspects of the environment - such as humidity, temperature and so on. As with an aquarium, a terrarium should replicate the natural environment of the organisms being kept as closely as possible.

Suitable Tanks and 'Containers'

For the purpose of keeping Carnivorous plants, there are many suitable container that could be used - I usually use small plastic tanks aquariums, or tall glass jars/vases. Small plastic aquariums are ideal for keeping lower growing plants such as Venus Fly Traps, whilst the tall glass jars are perfect for taller plants such as Pitcher Plants.

Setting up a Terrarium

For the purposes of this setup guide, I will demonstrate how I setup a 'nursery' for growing on young Carnivorous plants. Once the plants outgrow this kind of setup, I move them into a larger Terrarium - for which the same basic setup principals apply. I will use a small plastic aquarium, but any similar sized container would work well.

Step 1 - Assemble all of the equipment/materials you will need. I have opted to install a basic drainage device in the base of the Terrarium, which will consist of a 'base plate' made from "Egg crate" material. A thin layer of Sphagnum Moss will cover this to prevent the substrate falling through the gaps - although excess water will be able to drain through freely.

The substrate I use is Peat, with some Perlite mixed in to assist with drainage. I believe Silver Sand can also be used, but I have not used this personally so can't comment on it's suitability.

The assembled 'ingredients' and tools for a basic Carnivorous plant Terrarium.

Step 2 - Trim the "Egg crate" to size and lay in the bottom of the Terrarium. This material is notoriously difficult to cut (due to it's brittle nature) - I find wire cutters work quite well for chopping this material to size. Please wear some sort of eye protection as razor-sharp shards of "Egg crate" are likely to fly in all directions when you start trimming the material. Once the "Egg crate" is in place, cover it with a thin layer of Sphagnum Moss.

With the "Egg crate" drainage plate in place, the Sphagnum Moss can be laid in place.

Step 3 - Install the substrate evenly across the bottom of the Terrarium. Ensure the Perlite is evenly distributed throughout the substrate. Aim for a layer of substrate around 15cm deep to allow depth for the root systems of the plants to develop. Give the substrate a good watering with either natural rainwater or boiled water (that has cooled down!). Avoid using water straight from the tap as it will probably contain an unacceptably high level of nutrients, which will harm most Carnivorous plants.

A layer of prepared substrate is in place - all ready for planting!

Step 4 - You are now ready to plant the Carnivorous plants. Make sure you allow plenty of space around each plant for expansion. Take care not to damage the plants during planting, as many are quite delicate. These plants like humidity and warmth - a sunny windowsill is a great place to grow these plants, but you will probably need to fit some sort of condensation cover over the top of the tank to ensure that a high humidity level is maintained.

A selection of young Carnivorous plants in their new home.

For some information on feeding your Carnivorous plants, and maintenance of the Terrarium, please read my article on Carnivorous Plant Terrariums (follow the link on the left-hand side of the page).